Being in high school, it is common for students to be overcome with stress and school work. There is an immense amount of pressure from teachers, parents, and peers, each having their own expectations. Not to mention, many students have responsibilities outside of school, such as work, clubs, volunteering, tutoring, etc. This overwhelming feeling of undesirable emotion is known as anxiety. We speak for various students when we say that these outside influences have progressively increased anxiety for the students of HHS.

There are a multitude of ways to cope with the stresses of high school. HHS has many resources available to students to assist in alleviating some of the pressure. Seniors have the option of attending “Lunch Bunches” which take place during stressful times of the school year for all lunch periods in the upstairs guidance office conference room. It’s for students who are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or just want to get out of the commons for a bit. The library also has coloring sheets or games that can be taken out to help students relax.

Dealing with stress on one’s own starts by addressing the issue. There are things that can be done individually to help alleviate stress. During the the day, make sure to take time out for yourself. Everyone deserves a break throughout the day no matter how busy you are. Do not feel guilty if you need time to rest and recuperate. There are various other ways on how to cope with stress, such as making to do lists, setting goals, and making sure that you aren’t pushing yourself too hard. It’s important to find a balance between working hard and not overworking yourself.

Everyone deals with stress during their teenage years, however something people don’t usually understand is that stress is common with people of all ages. Some important things to remember is that there are many ways to reduce stress. The most common and simple to perform are taking naps, journaling, exercising, listening to music, and taking deep breaths.